Chasing the Sun
by sojunari
Summary: At the end of New Moon, oblivious 14 year old, Mackenzie Swan, is imprinted on by her older sister's werewolf best friend and sent spiraling into the world of the supernatural. Rated M for future chapters.
1. The World is Falling

It's just a weekday afternoon, like any other afternoon.  
An afternoon out hunting for supposed 'man-eating' wolves and then everything changes.  
Charlie asks them to stay home together, but her older sister has somewhere she wants to go. Bella leaves her off at her best friend's house. Seth Clearwater, who's father is also off on the wolf hunt, is already home from school when Mackenzie Swan arrives. They spend the afternoon playing video games in his bedroom, arguing over which of them is better at first-person shooter games, and waiting for his father to come home so that they can eat dinner.  
They aren't expecting a phone call from Charlie, aren't expecting to have to jump in the car and rush to the hospital.  
Aren't expecting that Harry Clearwater would die of a heart attack.

They're there for an hour. Her father is there, with Billy Black, and Sue and a few other people from the reservation. Seth is crying, clinging to Mackenzie like his life depends on it. She doesn't blame him, she doesn't know what she would do if she lost either of her parents. Seth's older sister, Leah, who'd arrived earlier comes over to them. Despite her normally standoff-ish demeanor, it's obvious that she's devastated. She tells them that they're going home. Someone that Mackenzie doesn't know drives them back to the Clearwater House.

The three of them spend the next two hours sitting in the living room. At some point Mackenzie goes into the kitchen, makes a small dinner for her and the Clearwaters. She leaves leftovers for Sue on the table (and the realization hits her that she didn't need the rest for Harry. (She cries where her friends can't see her.) None of them really eat. They sit on the couch picking at their plates, eating only a few bites, until Seth starts crying again. Mackenzie does her best to comfort them, but there isn't much she can do or say. So she lets her best friend bury his face in her lap and rubs his back as he sobs. Leah cries as well, her jaw tightening, and fists clenching as she tries to control herself, but she breaks down too. Pulling her legs up onto the couch and sobbing into her knees, Mackenzie is at a loss for what to do for her, so she puts her hand on Leah's shoulder and she holds it there. Because she doesn't know what else to do. What is there to say?

Sue, Billy, Charlie, and a friend of Sue's arrive thirty minutes later. Her father tells her that he's going to stay for a while longer with Billy, keep an eye on Sue and the kids. Bella isn't answering her cell phone so Sue's friend drives her home. Her sister's truck is parked in the street, in front of the house and the lights are on, but Bella's sneakers aren't in the foyer like normal, though a boy's are.

They aren't her father's, that's for sure, so she concludes they must belong to Jacob Black. She's right, she notices as she peers into the living room. "Hey Jake," she greets half-heatedly as places her coat on a hook by the door, voice hoarse from crying. Jacob is silent, sitting by himself on the couch with the tv off. She wonders where her sister is.

"Where's Bells?" She questions as she takes off her shoes. Jacob's face twists in disdain as he answers, "She went somewhere with Alice Cullen." _The Cullen's were back, since when?_ The 16 year old shifter finally looks at her, for the first time up close since he'd phased. In that exact moment, Jacob's entire universe shifts. He feels all his love, dedication, and loyalties change. Bella, his father, the pack; nothing matters anymore. Gravity no longer holds him down to earth, but instead the girl in front of him does. The younger sister of the girl he's been crushing on since he was a toddler.

Mackenzie Swan is 14 years old. Lithe and petite, shorter than her sister, with long dancer's legs. She has the same brown hair as Bella and Charlie, though curlier like her mother's. Her eyes too are like Renee's, blue. She's nothing like her older sister. Mackenzie is outgoing, friendly, and graceful. She smiles a lot and is considerably more talkative than Bella. Everyone that meets her loves her, pulled in by her kind and playful demeanor. It's needless to say that she and Bella are polar opposites.

The last time that Jacob had seen her face to face was the night Edward Cullen left Bella in the woods and Sam Uley had found her. He remembers how worried she was, pacing back and fourth in front of him and his father. Billy had tried to calm Mackenzie, him and Harry assuring her that Bella would be fine. Since that night, he'd only been in contact with her in passing. Greeted her from the door when he'd come to see Bella, talked to her on the phone when calling to talk to Bella.  
All in all, he'd only associated with her when around her older sister.

Not that he doesn't like her, in fact he's always been fond of Mackenzie. They got along well, they're both kind and friendly, and had _sunny personalities_ as Bella calls it. But, his romantic interest has always been directed at the elder sister, perhaps because Mackenzie is younger than him. She is two years his junior, born on January 20th, 1992. Their birthdays are six days apart. Jacob isn't sure why Bella has always been his main interest, but he suspects it has something to do with her being older than him. Watching her grow into a pretty teenager while he and Mackenzie were still a lot like kids.

But, all of that was over now. Suddenly, the younger sister became his entire world. It takes him a moment before he realizes it, but he's just _imprinted_ on Mackenzie Swan.

_Shit_.


	2. You've Got It Bad

Mackenzie's eyebrow shoots up in question as she stares back at Jacob Black, who's looking at her as if she's sprouted a third eye. "Everything alright, Jacob?"

The sound of her voice snaps him out of his daze, but he still looks confused, conflicted even. "Huh?- Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?" He can tell that it'd been a long night. He'd been in the forest when the incounter with the red-headed vampire had given Harry Clearwater a heart attack. Jacob is aware of her closeness to the Clearwaters. He knows that Sue and Harry's youngest, Seth, is her best friend. They'd all gone through hell tonight. And, the pack would make the leech pay for it.

Mackenzie sniffs, eyes on the carpet as she sits down beside him on the couch, tucking her legs under her petite form. "It was a tough night. Harry- Mr. Clearwater had a heart attack." her voice cracks, "He didn't make it." She's going to cry. He can smell it, the salt of tears as they gather at the corners of her eyes, but she tries not to. She's cried enough already, she doesn't need to infront of Jacob.

"I know," he says and puts a comforting arm around her shoulder. "My dad told me." That's a lie, he hasn't gotten the chance to speak to Billy yet. Not between the chase in the forest, Bella almost drowning, and pixie-leech showing up. But, he already knew the outcome. The entire pack is furious. It's their job to protect people from vampires, and yet they'd lost Harry today. _They'd failed him_.

Next to him, Mackenzie is trembling, so he pulls her to him and she cries. She doesn't want to, but she cries. She should be there with Seth, but she can't, so she cries into Jacob's chest until her father comes home. Charlie asks where Bella is and Jacob tells him that she'd taken off with Alice, that she'd taken a bag. In the kitchen, she'd left them a note.

It isn't good enough. Something about an emergency, about Edward. Mackenzie is angry. Harry died today. The world is falling down around them and her sister has the gall to go gallivanting who-knows-where, after the asshole who left her. Apparently, Jacob and her father share her sentiment.

That night, Mackenzie tries to sleep. She really does, but she can't stop crying. She calls Seth, they stay on the phone in mostly-silence (interrupted occasionally by fits of crying on both sides) until finally Seth falls asleep. But, Mackenzie can't sleep. Instead she sits on her windowseat and stares out at the forest.

In the distance, the brush rustles, but she pays no mind, eventually falling asleep there. From the cover of the trees, a russet wolf looks out into her bedroom window. Mackenzie has gone to sleep-finally- though not in the most comfortable place. Jacob is tempted to climb up and tuck her in bed, but rethinks this. _Probably not a good idea,_ He hears Paul cackle. So he settles for watching her sleep against the window until he faintly hears Sam ordering him to get a move on with their patrol, _The longer you linger the later you'll get home._

With much difficulty Jacob turns around and takes back off into the forest. If he stays out too late he'll sleep all day. If he sleeps all day, he won't get to come see her.

_Goddamn,_ Paul comments with a laugh, _You've got it bad_.

And, he really does.


	3. Hold Me Together

The next time Jacob sees Mackenzie isn't until Harry Clearwater's funeral. He sits in the second row, behind the Clearwaters, Charlie Swan, Mackenzie, and his father. His pack members sit on either side of him, Sam on his left, Embry on his right.

Directly in front of him, his imprint sits next to Seth, who's in hysterics beside his sister. Who though obviously hurting, wears a blank, distant face. Jacob's inner wolf isn't too pleased with the closeness of it's mate to another male, but Jake understands what it is to loose a parent. Seth will need all the comfort he can get. Sue warned them of the phasing signs arising in both her children since their father's death. It seems it won't be too long before Seth joins them, despite his age. His elder sister though, Sam's ex-girlfriend, is another matter all her own.

Mackenzie on the other hand looks completely exhausted, sitting there in her knee-length contrast-collar, black dress. Jacob knows his imprint hasn't slept much in the two days since Harry's death. He'd only been able to see her at the window-seat of her bedroom, since the night he'd imprinted on her. Sam had increased patrols, tightening the shifts to leave no gaps for the redhead to catch them by surprise.

Meanwhile, his mate has been with the Clearwaters for days, along with her father and Jacob's father. Charlie and Billy tried to help Sue with Harry's arrangements, while Mackenzie had been there for Seth and Leah. And, by night she was so sad, and angry, and stressed out she couldn't sleep. So she stares into the forest each night and watches after the wolves that have taken to wandering into the tree-line behind her home. They come every night, as if checking on something, one in particular that always stays longer than the rest.

She thinks it's strange, scary even. That huge, wild wolves are so close to her home each night, that she can spot them from her window. Even stranger that they linger, until she falls asleep and they're gone again by morning. But, for some reason she doesn't feel threatened.

Jacob can see how strained she looks, how tired she is. The way she fights the tears and tries to be strong, tries not to break down. The tears slip through anyway. So he reaches his hand out and touches her shoulder. Keeps it there through the entire service, like an anchor.

And, when Sue, Seth and Leah climb into the black town-car together as they head for the cemetery, Jacob finds her. He leads her into his car to ride with Embry and Quil, and climbs into the back seat with her. He can barely fit, crammed into the backseat of his Volkswagen Rabbit, but he needs to be close to her.

Jacob pulls her into his chest again, the way he did the night he imprinted on her, and lets her sob into his dress-shirt. He puts both arms around her and holds her together.

Without him, Mackenzie feels like everything will fall apart.


	4. Learn You Right

The day after the funeral, Jacob takes Mackenzie out.

Bella's still gone, but surprisingly (for both of them) he doesn't seem to mind that. However, she sure does. Times are hard and Bella had just taken off on them, for Edward Cullen no less. The thought makes Mackenzie furious. She should be there for them, be with them. One of her father's best friends died and he's taking it hard. Her best friend's father, a man she considered a father of her own, has just died. Her sister should be there for her. She isn't.

Instead, she's out with Jacob Ephraim Black at First Beach. The weather is cold, windy, and the sky looks like it'll give at any moment. Neither of them mind. Mackenzie is dressed in jeans, a hoodie, and a light parka. Jacob wears jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She wonders whether or not he's cold. _It's freezing out here_.

They sit on the sand, not far from the water, and they talk for hours. Turns out Mackenzie is more than just a sight for sore eyes, she's interesting as well. Jacob's thankful for that (her sister's a little bit of a brick wall in comparison, unless it's about the Cullens), he let's her do most of the talking and asks her about herself. He let's her tell him all about her and he finds that he's genuinely interested. Whether it's the pull of the imprint, he isn't sure, but he likes to think that he and Mackenzie are compatible, even without a spiritual bond to bind them to each other.

She asks questions too and Jacob finds himself answering, spilling his soul without a second thought (but, the alpha order to keep his true nature secret still thumps at the back of his skull). The fourteen year old asks him about his favorite pastimes, his hobbies, favorite foods; all the little things about him that she doesn't know yet, and shares her own.

Jake is sure to remember these things. That she likes pastel colors, because it reminds her of the sun, and her mother and the yellow kitchen cabinets in Charlie's home. It reminds her of Phoenix and the blazing weather. She thinks that pastels go well with Arizona's earth tones.

He files away the fact that she still loves grilled cheese sandwhiches. Takes note of her fondness for Forks and it's constant curtain of rain, and how much she loves the amount of greenery here. Jacob notices that she differs from her sister in more than just looks.

Mackenzie takes after Renee in many ways, more so than her sister. He likes her playful, outgoing banter. Her personality is somewhat that of a social butterfly, but without the attitude to match. In that aspect she's like Charlie, collected and serene, and yet humorus. Mackenzie doesn't share her mothers hair-brained mania, that occasionally shines through in Bella. No, Mackenzie is mature in many aspects, but still a child in others. Jacob comes to love that about her.

He isn't sure how long they spend talking, before the sky gives and it starts to drizzle. Mackenzie is greatful that they'd taken his Rabbit and not the bike, as they make their way back up the beach and tuck under the shelter of the Rabbit's roof. They laugh at their damp clothes and she ruffles his wet hair. Jacob chuckles along, at tucking her own wet curls behind her ear. And, for a brief moment Jacob wants to kiss her. There in the front seat of his tiny car, but he reminds himself that she's only fourteen, that her birthday was just a few short months ago. _It's only two years difference_, a part of him argues, but Jacob smothers the thought. Two years or not, she's barely a teenager, and just a few days ago he was so sure of his love for her older sister.

Jacob sits back against the driver seat and forces himself to relax. _Take things slower,_ he tells himself. She's just a kid, Bella's baby sister, Charlie's little girl. But, the wolf could care less about all of that. All it cares about is it's mate, sitting beside him. Shivering, with wet hair and damp clothes, and that he could surely warm her up. Jacob shakes his head and turns the key in the ignition. "Something wrong, Jake?" Mackenzie asks.

He shakes his head, pushing away the wolf and it's thoughts of the inviting curve of her side, "Just a bit chilly's all," he replies, and turns on the heater. It's only a moment before the warm air is blazing through the vents, heating up the car and drying their clothes. Mackenzie pulls her cell phone out of her pocket, tells him they sat out there for two hours.

Her stomach cuts off the rest of the conversation, loud grumbles interrupting her mid-sentence. Jacob laughs and she smiles, sheepishly. He drives them to Sue's diner for lunch.

Sue isn't there, but her friend is running in for the week. Mackenzie talks to her about the Clearwaters, asks her how Sue's doing. Mackenzie hasn't spoken to Seth all day. After the reception, she'd offered to stay over, but he'd wanted to be alone. So she'd gone home with her father. When she woke, she'd called him, but he hadn't answered. She'd called the house but, Sue asked her to give him some time.

Jacob can see that Mackenzie is upset, he guesses it's about Seth. But, Sue told Sam that her son had wanted to be alone suddenly, that he's been having outbursts. It seems the youngest Clearwater will phase any day now. He's glad that Mackenzie is separated from that, no one wants her to get hurt (and his wolf is happy that he can have his mate all to himself).

They eat cheeseburgers and try to fall back into the same upbeat attitude from earlier, but Jacob can sense her wavering. She smiles at him, but he knows she's still worries about her friend. He quickly finds that jealousy when related to his imprint, is nothing like the jealousy he felt because of Cullen and Bella. This is completely different, he realizes how absurd he's being, jealous of her best friend. But, still he doesn't like the thought of her with Seth Clearwater. He hates that there's a man that isn't him (aside from her father) that knows so much about her, that is so close to her. Jacob swallows his pride and tries to forget about it.

At four in the afternoon, Jacob takes her home. Charlie's car is in the driveway, but so is a silver Volvo C30. Mackenzie can see the way that Jacob's face twists in disdain, worse than the night Bella had taken off. He walks her to the door and talks with her casually, but she can tell that something's off. It isn't long before he scoops her up into a hug, lifting her off of her feet and setting her back down before he tells her he has to leave.

Mackenzie feels a dull ache in her chest as she hugs Jacob a final time, making him promise to call and watching him duck back into the Rabbit. As he drives away, the door opens, the sound of her father's angry voice echoing down the hall as Edward Cullen steps out onto the porch beside her.

The bronze haired boy's nose wrinkles, as if smelling something bad and he shoots Jacob's retreating car a glare.  
Edward turns to her shortly after and gives a small smile, "Hello Mackenzie."

She gives the older boy a dull look, trying not to frown at him. He'd hurt her sister. Mackenzie briefly recalls Bella's zombie comatose-like state in the months after Edward had left. She flinches at the same time Edward does, so she doesn't see it. Still, after all the heartache, Bella has apparently taken him back. So, despite her true feelings and her personal opinion, she decides to do what would save her a fight with her sister.

She gives Edward a half hearted smile, "You back for good this time?"


	5. (You Keep Me) Grounded

Mackenzie is in the kitchen starting to prep for dinner, when she hears a car pull up outside and the front door swing open. _Bella's home_, she guesses. She can hear her father and sister talking in the living room, about Edward Cullen no doubt. Her sister had gotten grounded when she came home. Their father wants Bella to get some space from Edward, but she ends up spending all her free time with him anyway. Charlie is more than a little annoyed by it.

"Dad, there's nothing you can say. Edward is in my life." From the kitchen Mackenzie rolls her eyes. Normally her older sister takes after Charlie, but from time to time Renee's over-dramatic nature and hair-brained ideas slip through. And, when it comes to Edward, Bella tends to over-react. Charlie is clearly off-set by his eldest daugther's seeming obsession with her troublesome boyfriend. "Yeah, I'm gathering that."

The younger sister zones out for the most part, focusing briefly on the food she's preparing, as her father attempts to reason with her sister. "-if you use your new-found freedom to see some of your other friends too. Like, Jacob." Mackenzie pauses while chopping vegetables, at the sound of his name. She wishes silently that Charlie would stop trying to push them together, they'd gotten in a fight. As much as she loved her sister, everyone knows that Jake was merely a replacement for Edward. And, though no one said anything outloud, everyone saw that she'd been using him. Mackenzie hated to admit that, but she knew it to be true.

Her father drops the topic afterwards. Bella goes upstairs to do her homework and Mackenzie spends the next hour making meatballs and sauce, chopping mushrooms, and cooking pasta noodles. At six o'clock she, Bella, and Charlie sit down for spaghetti. No one talks very much. Charlie is busy eating, Bella is off in her own world as she chews, and Mackenzie thinks about Jacob, as she twirls pasta noodles around her fork.

The strange relationship between him and her older sister conflicts Mackenzie. She doesn't like the thought of Bella using Jake. Even worse, she doesn't like the thought of Bella being with Jake, preposterous as it may sound. The idea of Bella and Jacob as a couple makes her chest ache, and Mackenzie finds that ricidulous. She's only become closer to him over the last month, yet still the thought of Jacob going back to spending all his free time with Bella and ignoring her, makes her upset. She barely eats her pasta.

When dinner is over, she packs the left overs into containers and does the dishes with her sister. The two of them head upstairs together, splitting off at the top of the staircase and into their seperate rooms. Bella's thoughtful silence worries her. Mackenzie settles down on her bed with her laptop and starts her five page topic paper for honors english, tries to get her mind off of Jacob Black. But, nothing seems to work.

An hour later Mackenzie looks up at the sound of three knocks on her door. The fourteen year old sits up from laying on her stomach with her laptop in front of her. The door opens and her older sister's head peaks in through the gap. "Kenz, did you see Jacob today?" she questions, it's the first time Bella's bothered to ask about him since she'd gotten back together with Edward.

She resists the urge to roll her eyes at Bella. This was likely brought on by their father earlier.

Mackenzie has spent almost everyday with Jacob since their day at the beach. Bella is preoccupied with Edward and Jake doesn't ask about her either. She can sense that something happend between them, an arguement, probably. But, selfishly she's glad that she can have Jacob to herself. As bad as it sounds, she doesn't want to go back to being second to Bella. It's always been that way with Jake, Bella, and her. But, lately he's paid alot of attention to her and she likes that. She doesn't want to go back to the way things were.

"Yeah, this morning. Why?" She answers reluctantly, noticing the way Bella sighs. "He isn't picking up his phone." At the same time, Mackenzie feels her cell phone vibrate soundlessly in her pocket. _That's probably him now_. "He's probably in the other room, he barely carries his phone on him. Usually leaves it in his room." She answers.  
It's not completely a lie, Jake never seems to have his cell on him.

"Well, next time you see him, will you tell him we need to talk?" A chill runs up Mackenzie's spine. _Talk about what, exactly?_ But, regardless of the annoyance, she nods at her sister and watches Bella close the door. She hears footsteps trudging down the staircase and the front door opening. Not long after it opens again and someone stomps back up the stairs.

**Night, Kenz.** Her text from Jacob reads, **Still up for surfing tomorrow?** She doesn't hesitate to reply, sending off her answer and bidding him goodnight. She falls asleep before it's even ten PM, with her face in her keyboard. She doesn't get to see the wolf pacing back and fourth on the edge of the tree-line.

She's at the beach. And Edward, her sister, and her mother are there. For some reason she keeps hearing yelling and howling, and someone screaming, "She'll get away!" then something knocks her into the water and she flies up straight in her bed. The sun is shining in through her window and she realizes she'd been dreaming.

Bella is standing in the door way with a worried look on her face. "You okay?" She asks and Mackenzie nods even though she's not exactly sure.


	6. After This, Everything Changes

Mackenzie rides to school with Edward and Bella, in his Volvo. There seems to be some kind of tension between the two of them, but she doesn't say anything about it. It's Thursday, almost the end of the week. Later tonight they have dinner at the diner in town with their dad, like they do ever week.

She has class like normal, nothing out of the ordinary, and when school's out she watches her sister and Edward go off, as she waits for Jacob. The drive to Forks is about twenty-five mintues from La Push. Mackenzie sits outside with her two friends, Dana Shaye and Penn Ballard, and her sister's friend, Mike Newton.

Jake shows up right on time, in his Rabbit, getting out to greet her. He walks up to the group, dressed in yet another long sleeves shirt and jeans. He towers over all of them in height, standing at 6"7, despite being younger than Newton. Jacob's arm slips around Mackenzie's shoulder, easing into place next to her, beside her friends. He doesn't mind the looks he's getting or the fact that Mike Newton is shooting him a challenging glare. Nothing else matters now that he's finally with his imprint.

Mackenzie smiles as Jake walks toward her, arm automatically slipping around her shoulders and pulling her into place at his side. She feels like they belong like that. Dana has already met Jacob, but Penn hasn't. She notices the look in the native boy's eye, as he shakes Penn's hand. There's something daring about it, as if asserting himself as the stronger of the two men. She turns to introduce him to Mike, but it seems they already know each other.

They don't stick around long after that, sliding into the Rabbit and heading off for yet another day at First Beach. She changes into her wetsuit in the back on his car when they arrive. It's spring, the end of April, almost the end of the school year; so the weather is still a bit chilly for surfing, but they do it anyway. Most people around there do.

By six thirty they're back in Forks, meeting Charlie and Bella at the local diner. They're waiting inside, when Jacob drops her off. Her hair is still damp and she's clinging to Jacob's arm for warmth. "You're like my own personal space heater, you know that?" Mackenzie jokes, cuddling against his bicep. Jake laughs, "For you, anytime."

She gets out of the car eventually, though reluctantly and enters the diner. Three drinks are already at the table, two for Charlie and Bella, and an untouched Dr. Pepper for her. Charlie is reading the newspaper and Bella is drinking her soda, "We already ordered your cheeseburger." Bella says, in the same motherly way that she always has. She's always been the mom, despite them having Renee. Their mother is a free spirit, wild and immature. Bella's always been the adult between the three of them, even when they were kids.

"Thanks, Bells." she replies and sits down beside her sister. Their father puts his paper down and smiles at her, taking a drink of his coffee (normally Charlie has a Rainier Beer, but he has to drive them all home later). "How do you feel about going to see your mother, Kenzie?" He questions, and she raises a brow at him.

"Sounds cool, dad." Mackenzie answers, "When? After school's out?"

Charlie shakes his head. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen gave your sister some plane tickets to go Jacksonville for you and her, as a birthday gift. They expire soon, so her and Edward are thinking about going over the weekend. What'dya think about going with them?"

She looks at Bella, who looks a little conflicted, and then back at her dad. He clearly wants her to agree, not wanting for Bella and Edward to go alone. Plus, she wouldn't mind seeing Renee. She hadn't seen her since Bella had ran off to Arizona and gotten hurt. So, in the end, she agrees. "Sure, I'd love to go visit mom."

The weekend trip to Florida is a bit odd. Mackenzie has to drop her plans with her friends, but goes regardless. Edward goes with them, for some reason, but she doesn't really mind. Bella seems off. More solemn than she should. Something about her behavior is like it's the last time she'll see mom. They lounge out on the beach all morning, Edward stays inside, and Phill is at practice most of the day. Bella stands out in the sun with her eyes closed, sits down by the water and stares out at the ocean for a long time. When she comes back up to the porch, she sits down in the louge chair between Mackenzie and Renee. She lays there, sloalking up the sun as if she'll never stand in it again. But, Mackenzie can understand. After all Arizona was nothing but sun, she misses it whenever they're back in Forks.

Bella and their mom talk about Edward, about college. She gifts Bella with a quilt of their old vacation t-shirts (Kenzie's idea), "-keep you warm up in Alaska." Renee says. Bella's reaction is different, not what they expect. Her sister isn't very expressive, not when it comes to her emotions, so it's surprising to get pulled into a group hug by her. "-just thought you should have a little piece of us, up there in Alaska."

Something about Bella's behavior on this trip has a hint of finality to it. Maybe because her big sister, the girl that practically raised her, was graduating high school this year. Soon she'd go off into to the world, leave them all behind. Go to up to the University of Alaska, with Edward (Mackenzie sort of resents him for that). Everyone seems about sad about that.

On Monday, Edward drives them to school again. Her sister sits in the front seat, as always, her knees drawn up to her chest, as she stares out the window. It's a quiet drive. When they pull into a parking space, Edward turns to her. "Do you regret going?"

Bella shakes her head, "No, it was really great, seeing mom. Just really hard saying goodbye." As if she'd never see her again. The thought makes Mackenzie cringe. Like her sister would just disappear from their lives. Edward looks at the younger Swan from the corner of his eye, but she doesn't catch it. "It doesn't have to be goodbye." He says.

The elder Swan sighs a bit, "Is that why you asked me to go? You thought I was gonna change my mind?" Edward frowns, almost sadly, "I'm always hoping for that." Mackenzie watches the exchange from the back seat, like a kid watching her parents argue. She doesn't understand.

Any further conversation cuts off, Edward suddenly turning his head to look out the window. "What?" Bella asks. He turns back to her, serious look on his face, as he reaches out for the door handle. "If I asked you to stay in the car, would you?" He proceeds to open the door.

At the same time both sister get out, curious of what's got him so on edge. "Of course not," Her sister's boyfriend comments, as they both make their way around the front of the car.

Mackenzie spots him first (although Edward had already smelled him), as they make their way across the parking alot, toward the enterance to the school. Standing at the foot of the sidewalk, next to his motorcycle is Jacob Black, dressed in a plain black t-shirt, jeans, and work boots. His arms are crossed and there's an annoyed look on his face. As soon as they make eye contact, he begins marching toward the three of them.

"Jake!" the fourteen year old chirps, practically throwing herself into his arms. Jacob catches her like it's second nature and holds her for a moment, until Edward and Bella are standing in front of them. He keeps his arms around her, despite his former crush standing right in front of him, as if to shield Mackenzie from Edward.

"Hey," Bella greets, clearly surprised to see him at their school. Edward smirks, as if something's funny, and for a split second Jake's grip on her tightens. "Charlie said you guys left town," Jacob comments, shooting Edward a glare. "Yeah, to visit our mom. Why?"

Edward chuckles quietly behind Bella, before Jacob looks down at the younger Swan, his arms still around her. "Go ahead to class, Kenz. I've gotta talk to Bella and Cullen." He tells her. She really doesn't want to, but she nods anyway. "I'll see you later then." She replies, even though she wants to stay there with him.

Jacob presses a quick kiss to her temple, hands leaving her sides and she realizes she didn't even know he was holding her to him. Mackenzie glances at Edward and her sister, who are both watching their exchange. Edward, with an amused look and Bella, with confusion and suspicion. She'd forgotten that Bella didn't really know much of their new-found closeness.

Once she's made her way into the building, she turns back around to look at the three of them. Bella and Edward look like they're arguing, and Jacob has a smug look on his face, as he walks back to his motorcycle. Bella starts after him, but is stopped momentarily by Edward. Despite his obvious disapproval, Edward releases her sister and Bella climbs onto the back of Jacob's bike. Mackenzie's heart sinks as they speed off the property together.

**Hello, readers! Thank you so much for the positive reviews, I'm glad that everyone seems to like Mackenzie. Yes, this is not going to be a "Jacob fighting the imprint" story, however don't completely shut down on me if Mackenzie does later become worried about Jacob and her sister's closeness and his former crush on her. Bella is not the antagonist in this story, actually she's going to "Mama-bear" Mackenzie quite a bit. The Swan sisters are kind of close in this one. Also, there will be later chapters that are rated, with language and sexual content. I mean, they are hormonal teenagers after all. But, that all comes later.**

**In relation to reviews, I thank everyone who's bothered to comment. Comments=chapters :) Also, I would love to know more when you comment. What is it you liked, or didn't like, or what you want to see more of. The longer the comments, the more encouraged I feel to write. They also help me in what decisions I make with the direction of the story, so reviews are very helpful. Thank you for reading!**

**And, while I'm at it, I'll throw in my disclaimer, since I haven't as of yet.**  
_**The Twilight series and all of it's characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I've merely altered the plot, all OCs belong to me.**_


	7. The Wrong Swan

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" Bella asks, looking a little suspicious of him, as Mackenzie makes her way up the stairs and into the school building. Edward answers for him, "He's checking to see if you're still human." But, Edward is chuckling and not about that. Jacob can tell he knows, about his imprinting on Bella's little sister. Apparently the leech finds it absolutely hilarious and for whatever reason that only serves to piss Jacob off.

"Look, I'm here to warn you," He begins, and Edward nearly rolls his eyes. "If your kind come on our land again-" Bella looks back and forth between them before interrupting. "Wait, what?" Edward and Jacob exchange looks before it dawns on Jacob that Bella has no idea of the danger that she's in, that Mackenzie is in.

"You didn't tell her?" He questions, almost mockingly. "Just leave it alone, Jacob." But, Bella's already too far gone, staring at Edward with confusion and worry, "Tell me what?"

"Emmet and Paul had a misunderstanding, it's nothing to worry about." He summarizes, sure to leave the reason as to why out of it. Jacob refuses to stand for that. After all if Bella is in danger, then so is Charlie, so is Mackenzie. And, the pack would never allow a vampire to harm an imprint, they would protect her at all costs. Cullens or no Cullens.

Edward marches up to him, trying to silence him before Bella can hear anymore, "You should just leave, now." But, Jake will have none of that. If the Cullens keep it to themselves, there was a possiblity they couldn't protect her and Mackenzie. "She has a right to know," He says, staring Edward right in the eye, "She is the one the red-head wants."

An awed look crosses Bella's face and she exchanges looks with both of them, "Victoria?" She stampers, everything suddenly becoming clear. "Alice's vision."

"I was trying to protect you." Edward defends honestly, but Bella's not having it. He means good, but has a bad way of showing it. "By lying to me." She takes a moment to convey they're going to discuss it in full, before turning on Jacob. "Why haven't you called me back?"

Jacob pauses at the turn of events, eyes narrowing as he thinks of what to do. He hadn't called because he has furious with her for going back to Edward after what he'd done to her, and then he'd imprinted on Mackenzie. He hadn't thought of what to say to Bella or how to explain it. He still wasn't sure himself what he would do. "I had nothing to say," He replies and climbs on to his motorcycle.

"Well, I have tons. Hold on." Bella moves to follow but gets stopped by Edward. They argue for a moment, he wants Bella nowhere near the wolves, but she's stubborn as always.

As Bella disappears into the distance on the back of Jacob's bike, Edward looks up through the window to see Mackenzie watching the two drive off. The younger sister frowns, thinking to herself that she doesn't want to share. And, Edward understands exactly how she feels.

Jacob comes to a stop in the familiar driveway of Emily and Sam's house and Bella climbs off, allowing him to park it on it's kickstand. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She questions, "I am the vampire girl, remember?"

That makes little difference to the pack, as the boys file out the front door, each with chicken bones in hand (or mouth). None of them are wearing shirts, as usual, and all of them are dressed in cut-offs or jeans. "What's up, Bell?"

She notices that Quil Ateara V. is with them now, "Quil, you too?" The younger boy nods, smiling, "Yep! Finally made the pack."

"Bella!" She hears Emily Young call, as she makes her way down the steps, Sam Uley right behind her. "I was wondering when we'd see your face around here again." the pretty native women comments, and wraps her in a friendly hug. Bella likes Emily, has from the start.

Sam and Jacob get to talking. The Alpha tells them that Victoria won't be getting through their line again. All the boys give a cheer, as a young woman in shorts and a sleeve-less shirt comes out of the house. She's taller than Bella and Emily, about 5"10, has cropped, black hair, and the same tattoo as the rest of the pack members.

"Bella, this is Leah Clearwater," Jacob introduces, "Harry's daughter." Bella greets her, gives her condolences (which would have been better given at the funeral, had she been in attendance), but Leah's face remains stern, judgmental almost.

"I think you brought the wrong one, Jake." She says in a mocking way. Isabella doesn't get what Leah means. _Brought the wrong what?_

"Come on Lee, Bella's technically a pack-sister by default." Quil comments, nudging her. "How's that?" How could she be pack? She's not a wolf. She's 'the vampire girl'.  
"You didn't tell her yet?" Jared asks Jacob, who Bella realizes suddenly looks very nervous. "Tell me what?" She asks. Why was everyone keeping this from her lately? Paul practically busts out laughing, clapping Jacob on the shoulder. "Aw man, Jake. Good luck with that."

Without anything more said, Jacob quickly changes the subject. The situation between him and Mackenzie would be a difficult topic to tackle. He avoids it for as long as he can, opting to take Bella to his house. As they walk his motorcycle toward the garage, Bella begins asking about Leah and he tells her about when she phased, as well as about Seth. (Who's still yet to have spoken to Mackenzie.) They get to talking about Sam, Emily and Leah, which progresses into talk about the imprint.

"Imprinting on someone is like..." Jacob pauses, wondering how to safely go about this. "Like when you see her... Everything changes." He picks a spot on the ground and focuses on it, instead of his imprint's older sister, his first crush. Guilt builds in him, though he isn't sure why. He definitely doesn't have any regret but, he still finds it's easier if he isn't looking at her. "All of a sudden, it's not gravity holding you to the planet. It's her... Nothing else matters. You would do anything... be anything for her."

Once he finishes, Bella takes a second to gather this bizarre information, "Sounds like you know the feeling." Jacob looks down again, swallowing nervously, because he knows what comes next. "Have you... imprinted... on someone?"

He's silent, deciding how to tell her, but his silence is enough of an answer for her. "You have... On who?" Jacob starts to panic, he can already envision this going very bad.

"Now Bella, I have no control over it." He starts, stepping back from the motorcycle hesitantly. "Who is she, Jacob?" Bella questions, raising an eyebrow at him.

_What's gotten him so worked up?_

"Don't get angry..." He starts carefully, gently stepping away. "But, It's Mackenzie."

Bella pauses, taking a moment to gather everything she'd just learned about Jacob 'imprinting', some freaky soul-binding magical werewolf mating phenomenon... on Mackenzie. "You imprinted on my baby sister?!" She hisses, barreling toward him.

Jake backs away, hand up in defense, as he attempts to reason with her, "It's not like I meant for it to happen, Bella!"

"She's fourteen!"

"It's not like that!"

Bella glares at him, snatching up a wrench from the tool box, "Then what is it like?!" She screeches, throwing the tool at his head.

Jacob ducks, effectively dodging the wrench and dashing out of the garage door.

"Jacob Black!" She screams, rushing after him into the yard, but by then he's already reached the tree line, jumping mid-air and phasing before disappearing into the woods.

Bella lets out a huff, absolutely furious at him. Imprinted! On her little sister! _She's just a kid, not food for wolves!_ Bella wants Mackenzie to have nothing to do with the supernatural world. Jacob imprinting on her would do just the opposite of that. She intends to see that Mackenzie will have no part in it.

Isabella practically slams the door, as she marches into the living room in search of Mackenzie. She finds her sister lying down on the couch, asleep when she walks in. The sound of the older sister flopping noisily into the loveseat adjacent to the couch she's sleeping on, wakes Mackenzie from her nap.

She blinks a few times, sitting up and looking to Bella, who's observing her impatiently. "What's up, sis?" she yawns, stretching.

"I think you and Jake need to spend a little less time together." She says, sternly. The statement hits Mackenzie like a sack of bricks, "Why?..."


	8. Dreams of Red

Bella doesn't come back to school and Edward gives Mackenzie a ride home after classes get out. She sits in the front seat next to her sister's boyfriend, feeling incredibly uneasy.

"Bella and Jacob needed to work some things out." Edward tells her, but it honestly doesn't make her feel any better. He drops her off at the curb when they get there, bidding her goodnight. Charlie isn't home yet and Bella is still off with Jacob, she assumes.

Grumbling, Mackenzie comes inside and sits down on the couch. Slouching out of her jacket and cardigan, and sitting down dead-center in the middle of the couch. She tries to do her homework, she really does. But, her mind keeps wandering off to Bella on the back of Jacob's motorcycle and their figures speeding off into the distance.

With a frustrated grunt, she tosses her school work onto the table and crosses her arms, trying not to pout at the thought of Jacob with her sister. What is wrong with her? Is this jealousy? Over her own sister? Ridiculous. Sighing, Mackenzie flops onto her side on the couch, closing her eyes and forcing herself to think of something else.

All that comes is black, and darkness, and screaming. "Laurent found out about the things they could do and they killed him." "I'm doing this for us!" "I will end the Cullen Clan."  
And, then there's red. Everything blood red.

Mackenzie jolts awake as her sister sits down on the small sofa adjacent to the couch she's laying on. Bella's face is worried and she's looking at Mackenzie impatiently, as if waiting for her to be fully awake. "What's up, sis?" she asks, yawning and stretching her cramped limbs.

"I think you and Jake need to spend a little less time together." Isabella tells her sternly. The younger sister pauses, hesitantly turning to the older with a look on her face as if she'd just been told her kitten was ran over, "Why?..."

"You're just spending a lot of time with him lately," Her sister tells her, "Hang out with some of your other friends once in a while." But, Mackenzie can sense that it's more than that.

Before any further argument can be made, Charlie enters from the kitchen, apparently having gotten home shortly before Bella. "You know, Edward could at least respect meal times." 

"I was just with Jake." Bella informs and their father is thrown for a loop. "Oh... Good." And, then two solid knocks interrupt them. _Edward,_ both Charlie and Mackenzie assume, looking at each other and rolling their eyes simultaneously. "We'll just give you some privacy then."

Both of them file into the kitchen, where the younger sister starts dinner and Charlie sits down to read the newspaper, as Bella answers the door. From the counter, she can't really hear any of what her sister and Edward are saying, but after a moment they both quickly rush upstairs. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Charlie, poised to head up after them, until they head downstairs again moments later.

Bella pops into the kitchen, slipping on her jacket and telling them that she'll be going out. She doesn't stick around long enough to hear their father's protests. "I swear, you better not be as troublesome when you're 18." and Mackenzie laughs even though she senses that something is very very wrong.

She and Charlie eat dinner, leaving Bella leftovers as a courtesy, and afterwards Charlie does the dishes as she starts on the laundry. "Dad, have you seen my red sweater?" Mackenzie questions from the living room, standing over the couch with her coat in hand. She swears she'd taken it off with her jacket. "Maybe Bells put it in the hamper already!" he replies.

That night the wolf paces back and fourth at the tree-line and it's different from the last few times. She watches it for what seems like hours, she just knows she doesn't want to fall asleep again. But, when she does she dreams of red.

Red that dashes through green like fire in a forest. Red eyes that stare into her very soul and the sound of screaming. "Just don't get killed. I'm going to need numbers."

The next thing she knows the sun is in her eyes and her father is shaking her awake, "Get up," he says gruffly, "Jake's here to get you." _We were going somewhere today?_

From her window she sees Jacob standing with Edward and Bella in the driveway. Something about today feels like it's going to be a dreadful day.


	9. This Isn't Reality

"-I wouldn't be unprotected, I have..." Bella trails off, looking up at Edward. The last thing she wants to do is bring Jacob right back to Mackenzie, but with her and their father at risk, she decides it's for the best. Jacob would help protect them.

"Absolutely not." Edward says, but when the sun rises he finds himself standing at the foot of Bella's driveway as the dog in question sniffed his way around.

Bella and the wolf make their way down the steps toward him, Jacob cutting right to business. "Whoever it was, he left his stink behind. It'll be hard to miss when we cross it again. We'll handle it from here."

On edge as always, standing face to face with his natural enemy, Edward is quick to disagree. "We don't need you to handle anything. Or anyone."

"I could care less what you need." Jacob's voice is low. His imprint is a part of all of this, the leech had been in her room, had his hands all over her things. He'll be damned if he trusts the leeches to protect her and her family.

"We're done here." Edward says, but he's having none of it. This is beyond the Cullens now.

"No, you're done here." He growls, stepping forward, "An imprint's involved!"

Edward also makes a move forward, only to be separated by Bella. "Stop! I'm tired of this! From now on, we're Switzerland, okay?!"

Seconds after, Mackenzie skips down the steps, dressed in jeans and a polka-dot sweater. Jacob turns toward her instinctively, as if yanked by an invisible cord. She stops next to him, her sister, and Edward; all who seem stiff.

"What's up?" She asks, but no one responds. "Go ahead to the car," Jacob says, finally showing a smile. There's an order in his tone, something in his voice that makes her want to obey. So she nods, even though she can see Bella beginning to shake her head in protest. Mackenzie skips off towards the rabbit before she can hear what Bella has to say, wondering just what her sister's problem is lately.

"No way!" Bella hisses, when her Mackenzie is out of ear shot. "She's not going anywhere with you!" No way in hell is her little sister going off with him.

An animalistic growl rumbles from Jacob's chest and it's the first time he's ever reacted that way towards Bella. "Well, she's not going with you." Jacob tells her, "I won't trust your leeches with my imprint, not on my life." The raw possessiveness in his voice concerns her.

"She's safer with us." Bella tries, but Jacob's face becomes cold, threatening. Edward moves her behind him a bit, "No one is safer with them." With that he marches over to the rabbit where Mackenzie sits waiting and they speed off.

During the ride to La Push she watches him focus on the road. Neither of them say anything for the first fifteen minutes, but as they're narrowing in on La Push, Mackenzie finally turns to him. "I take it you and my sister didn't make up then?"

Jacob seems to snap out of his trance, smiling over at her, but it seems a little forced. She wonders what really happened between them. "We just had a disagreement is all. I'm over it, seems like Bella isn't though." He doesn't know why it sounds like he's explaining himself.

"Bells tends to hold grudges," Mackenzie laughs, but it doesn't sound as full and melodic as it normally does. Jacob leans over and takes her hand in his. "Yeah, I'm beginning to see that."

When they pull up at Sam and Emily's house, he isn't expecting Leah and Seth to be there. But, he can smell them as soon as he and Mackenzie are coming up the stairs. When they enter the the living room Seth is on the couch next to Jared and Paul (both of whom, she'd already met). He's laughing, sitting there as equally shirtless as the rest of the boys.

_He seems to be doing fine_, she concludes, wondering why the hell he hasn't spoken to her in almost four weeks. She'd given him time, like his mother had asked, but it seems he'd went on ahead and replaced her. "Seth Clearwater," she starts, her voice shaking, sounding equally as betrayed as she feels.

The smile on Seth's face falls and the laughter surrounding them comes to a complete silence. "Mackenzie?" Seth starts, rising off the couch, "What are you doing here?"

Jacob stands rigid behind her, worried that she might rouse Seth's temper. It'd only been a couple weeks since he'd first phased and though he'd handled it well, he also wasn't a person who was easily angered. There hadn't really been a time that Seth had gotten riled up yet.

"What am I doing here?" Mackenzie grumbles, crossing her arms. "What about you?! You don't haven't spoken to me in weeks, but you're here laughing it up like everything's just fine!" Tears begin gathering at the corner of her eyes, "Why haven't you answered my texts or my calls?"

Seth gets up (causing Jacob to step forward in case he needs to protect her) and goes around her, not answering her at all as he makes his way out of the front door. Mackenzie marches out after him, even more furious that he would try to ignore her.

Jacob darts out after her as she grabs Seth by the arm and turns him around. "You owe me an explanation!" She cries. He's supposed to be her best friend, why is he being like this?

"I don't owe you anything!" He yells in reply, shaking now. And, in fury and hurt Mackenzie slaps him square in the face. The others are instantly on the porch, surrounding them and separating her from Seth, who's shaking unnaturally at this point.

Jacob's arms wrap around her, trying to shield her. At this rate she was going to find them out, or worse get hurt. But, it seemed she was already caught in the crossfire of this whole thing thanks to Bella and the Cullens. Seth notices his arms around her, the protective stance. "You imprinted on her?" He grounds out.

This seems to be the last straw. He'd been forbidden to see his best friend because he'd turned into a wolf and could accidentally hurt her, but Jacob is one too and now he'd imprinted on her. How exactly is that 'keeping her safe'?

Mackenzie flinches at the sound of something shredding, Seth's form lunging forward and then being knocked off of the porch. Sam is yelling and the others are jumping off the porch. Jacob puts her behind him and she can't see anything, Emily is told to bring her inside.

Then the whole of reality changes. Sam isn't Sam, and Seth isn't Seth anymore. Instead the wolf that was Seth (is Seth?) is snarling and aiming straight for Jacob. Mackenzie shakes free of Emily's grip. Why would he attack Jake?

"Mackenzie get inside!" "Emily get her out of here!" Everyone's yelling and pushing then Jacob isn't himself anymore either. Instead there's a wolf in his place, one that's much larger than Seth's and even slightly larger than the black wolf that Mackenzie assumes is Sam.

With this new reality overloading her system, she can barely process the rest of everything going on around her, as Seth charges Jacob and Sam howls. Leah and Jared change too, jumping in to separate the two fighting wolves.

_What the hell is going on here?!_ Mackenzie blacks out.

* * *

Well, well, well; what's happening here? So yes, Mackenzie is finally going to learn about the wolves and the Cullens. _I've posted a second Jacob/OC story that has a Medieval/Red Riding Hood theme called Beyond The Trees. Please check it out, if you get the chance! _I'd like to thank everyone who's commented so far, keep 'em comin! I love a little input here and there, it motivates me to update. On another site the readers never seemed to comment and that lessened by motivation to continue writing, so thank you everyone that's commented.


End file.
